On November 15, the 22nd Guangzhou International Auto Show opened. The auto market has entered a stage of stock competition. Chinese new energy vehicles, focused on electrification and intelligence, drive high-quality development in the industry. This year’s auto show continues with the theme “New Technology, New Life.” It serves as a barometer for the development of the Chinese auto market. The event collaborates with global auto industry players to usher in a new era. The show features 78 world premieres, including 6 from multinational companies. A total of 1,171 vehicles are on display, with 512 being new energy vehicles. The event showcases new technologies and innovations of the new era. Different executives shared their views. Zhou Boya, vice chairman of the CCRT Technical Committee, stated that third-party evaluations must reflect industry standards. The results should be unbiased. If commercial interests influence the process, the public good may suffer. Companies must rely on solid technology. They also need to uphold the public interest and social responsibility of industry organizations. Achieving this is not easy.
Sina Auto: Have you noticed that netizens seem less interested in details? They engage with reviews, but those are niche. They prefer excitement. How can we get those onlookers to participate? Zhou Boya: They’re not looking to buy a car right now. They have no immediate need, but they have time. They want to see interesting car-related content. Our goal is to recommend cars to those who are ready to buy. At that moment, they will seek more information. Sina Auto: We need to make them come to us. So, we eliminated offline events. We focus more on online activities. We discuss models, conduct polls, and pose fun questions. We renamed our annual car event to “Weibo Annual Car Election.” It became a purely online voting event. While it lacks strong professionalism, it reflects user awareness and product reputation. Zhou Boya: You focus on real car owners and a broader audience. Customers can comment or follow, whether they own your car or not. Sina Auto: Everyone can speak for two minutes. We might place two similar models with perceived competition side by side. Who do you think deserves the title of annual car? Let them choose. This is our change this year. We noticed many questions from netizens. They project their feelings onto product features. One exaggerated example: a person burned his finger in a factory. While being taken to the hospital, he stored his finger in the car’s fridge. He found that feature very convenient. Many such cases exist, like adjustable seats and space in the front and back. Did we evaluate these detailed features? Zhou Boya: We do focus on this. The final product is a review process that includes metrics and criteria. Before that, we conduct extensive research. We examine what vehicles offer and what users expect. Listing all these features would create a very long evaluation system. Completing it would require significant resources. From another perspective, we cannot cover all scenarios when selecting them. So how do we make choices? First, we focus on high-frequency scenarios that people often encounter. For example, in the intelligent field and smart cockpit, we have many metrics. Our evaluation system must consider voice interaction and large-screen interaction. However, if all car manufacturers promote these features, they lose differentiation. The public won’t remember them. Each product has unique technology. I want my design to interact with users. Whether fun or novel, these elements create differentiation. This caters to niche demands. Our evaluations must include these, which poses a challenge. Second, some scenarios may not occur frequently. However, when they do, they can pose significant threats to passengers, road users, and property. In unsafe situations, I need to examine whether the vehicle has adequate protective measures. We drive every day, and accidents are rare. Many users may have driven the car, even sold it, without ever experiencing an accident or using insurance. Many drivers are careful and cautious with their vehicles. Not having accidents does not mean the vehicle lacks safety features. Therefore, we will conduct tests on automotive safety. These tests will assess whether the vehicle can protect passengers, external road users, and pedestrians during an accident. They will also evaluate the vehicle’s ability to anticipate and prevent accidents, reducing harm. Many cars come equipped with laser radars and high-definition cameras. We must include these factors in our harm prevention assessments. Topics like battery safety, information security, and privacy protection also fall within a broader safety category. Since we have limited test subjects, we must focus on two testing goals: first, scenarios with high public awareness; second, scenarios with significant risk, even if the probability is low. This guides our selection. Of course, it is not our strength to conduct all tests that meet the diverse needs of users. Automotive media excels in this area. We can complement each other and even collaborate. Sina Automotive: In July, we launched two new automotive technical regulations for 2024, including C-ICAP and C-GCAP. How do they differ from previous versions? Zhou Boya: The updates definitely bring changes. First, we need to update evaluation standards to reflect current vehicle technology levels. These standards should also guide the industry. Once a regulation is released, companies pay close attention. Users notice this focus, prompting companies to respond. They integrate these standards into product development and improve performance through iterations or OTA updates. When standards become stagnant and lack distinction, they require modification. Second, new demands and problems arise that did not exist before. In this context, we must consider launching new tests. In July, we upgraded C-ICAP and C-GCAP. Overall, C-ICAP added a new module—privacy protection. With the widespread adoption of smart and grid technologies, convenience increases, but so do privacy concerns. We introduced a new information security module to address these issues, focusing on two aspects: preventing eavesdropping and preventing data theft. This module also touches on broader public safety concerns. Additionally, we upgraded the advanced driver assistance module. We introduced more testing scenarios, particularly for intelligent driving or autonomous operation, which are significant updates. We also added more target objects in traditional tests. Previously, some scenarios could not recognize new traffic obstacles based on accident feedback. Therefore, we included new target objects for testing. In the C-GCAP green sustainability section, we focus on occupant health. We address gas pollutants and volatile organic compounds. This version introduces the PM2.5 project. It expands our evaluation of in-car health. We also test healthy materials. We consider both respiratory and contact exposure. This includes tests for heavy metals and toxic gases. Sina Auto: You mentioned green and environmental aspects. Do they serve educational purposes or respond to hazardous situations? Zhou Boya: Frequent driving leads to frequent exposure. From a usage perspective, it counts as high-frequency use. For bodily harm, we need timely assessment or accumulated damage over time. This situation is special. Both aspects exist. Unlike safety harm, which provides immediate feedback, health involves broader considerations of harm. We approach issues from a human-centered perspective. Sina Auto: For accumulated harm, should we evaluate it over the long term? Zhou Boya: Your question is very professional. Long-term harm and cumulative effects are important. Academia promotes related work, including gas issues and ionizing radiation. Our indicator system includes these metrics, reflecting cumulative harm. Beyond the car’s toxic aspects, WHO guidelines focus on exposure intensity. Higher exposure intensity increases risk, confirming greater certainty. Sina Auto: It’s also a matter of probability. Zhou Boya: Accumulating such data requires lengthy observation. Evaluation experience comes not only from the automotive industry but also from medical and public health guidance. Radiation poses risks. High exposure increases potential harm. Low exposure over time may be manageable. We have evaluation methods for this. Sina Auto: Can the body recover from such harm? Minor radiation exposure may cause negligible damage. Zhou Boya: Harm has a threshold. Below this threshold, we can assess it as a minor issue. This is a long-standing practice in academia and medicine. Sina Auto: How can we enhance our evaluation mechanisms? What measures ensure authority, fairness, and justice in users’ and media’s eyes? Zhou Boya: Third-party evaluations are industry actions. They represent voluntary responses. I can sell a product without responding, but addressing concerns may improve user experience. Key points for effective third-party evaluation include: First, is your method objective and scientific? Is the execution rigorous and professional? This is crucial. I cannot create rules lacking professionalism or representation. Consensus is also essential for credibility. All stages require sufficient expertise to ensure fairness and repeatability. Fairness means everyone starts from the same point. Repeatability means if I conduct a test, using the same sample and method should yield the same result. This is vital. Scientific research follows the same principle. If I publish a paper proving a fact, but others cannot replicate it, my science is questioned. If others can verify my findings and expand on them, it demonstrates a positive progression from science to fact. Second, consider the source of the samples. If you follow car reviews, you know that the source of samples affects their independence. If a company provides you with a sample, it complicates matters. You must obtain samples independently to ensure they represent the product accurately. When a company supplies a sample, it introduces risks, especially in professional evaluations. You should avoid this situation. For example, some organizations independently purchase samples and hire external agencies for assessment. They then publish relevant guidelines. From our perspective, the independence of samples determines their public interest value. Additionally, objectivity in presenting facts is crucial. What we measure should reflect reality. We must provide consumers with accurate information. If our methods are objective but fail to show a product’s true performance, we risk losing public interest. Evaluations from companies must rely on solid technology and uphold social responsibility. Achieving this is challenging. Regarding electric vehicles, I recently bought one. The range decreases when using the air conditioning. We have tested many cars this year. Did we evaluate winter range? Do we have industry insights? Yes, we do. C-ICAP has years of experience with the real range of new energy vehicles. We see several trends. First, electric vehicles are improving. More cars now offer a range of 600-700 kilometers. In 2018 and 2019, the average was only 300 kilometers. Each year, the average range increases by about 100 kilometers. This shows how car manufacturers are addressing user concerns. If you worry about range, they respond by increasing it. There are two ways to extend range: by increasing battery size or improving efficiency. However, larger batteries can reduce cabin and trunk space. This limitation is significant. Another method is to improve efficiency. This is a crucial direction. Increasing battery size doesn’t always mean a larger volume. We can enhance battery density and the effective density of the battery system. Many have researched this. On the other hand, we need efficiency. With lower consumption, we can still achieve long ranges. Next, electric vehicles struggle in cold weather. The overall impact of cold hasn’t changed much. The decline in winter range compared to normal temperature range remains consistent. In 2023 and 2024 tests, at minus 7 degrees with the heater on, electric vehicles lose about 45% of their range after a night in the cold. In summer, the loss is around 15%. At high speeds of 110-120 km/h, the range drops by 25%. These averages show little change over the years. However, that doesn’t mean performance hasn’t improved. Energy consumption at normal temperatures has decreased. Low temperatures see a similar decline rate. The ratio hasn’t changed much, but there has been progress. Regarding low temperatures, we should understand why electric vehicles struggle. Instead of viewing it as a drastic drop, think of the electric vehicle as a partner. Recognize its performance. In winter, it indeed struggles with cold. This means buyers need to set expectations. First, battery activity decreases in winter. Second, batteries need more energy to stay within a comfortable operating range. Third, cabin temperature must be maintained. Considering these winter factors, overall consumption hasn’t increased, but the demands have. This leads to a noticeable drop in range. We need to estimate the vehicle’s status accurately. During winter, people expect a decline, but can you provide a relatively accurate estimate of remaining range? This is also important. I know it will drop. In the end, I was told to travel 100 kilometers round trip. I saw 150 kilometers on the dashboard. I thought I could make it. But I couldn’t return. Car companies need to provide customers with more accurate and dynamic mileage information. This is crucial. There’s another point. C-ICAP has two important changes. It introduced extreme cold conditions. In winter, at minus 7 degrees Celsius, we operate at minus 20 degrees. I have a scenario for extreme cold conditions. It allows companies to see how they perform in extreme situations. It showcases the ability to maintain power in cold weather. This is a new subject and an optional one. It’s challenging to use new energy vehicles in the Northeast and Northwest during extreme cold. Few people drive to North China in winter. This serves to demonstrate the vehicle’s low-temperature power maintenance technology. If you have this feature, you can confidently say that the range will be significantly guaranteed.